Aviation has been used for a large variety of purposes over the course of modern history, including warfare, reconnaissance, weather, and communications. The earliest aviation vehicle was the balloon, which is still widely used today for a variety of purposes. One example of modern balloon use is weather prediction and communications (e.g., as a stratospheric payload platform). Balloons are filled with a highly buoyant gas (e.g., helium) that allows the balloon to ascend to a maximum altitude before inevitably descending based on a variety of factors, including weight of the payload and temperature of the gas. As a result, a balloon may have a limited mission life that can depend on descent of the balloon from a respective mission altitude.